Kathy Wagener was born in Dallas, Texas. She is married to a Baptist minister and has two children. Mrs. Wagener works at the White Rock Center of Hope, a benevolence agency in east Dallas.

Mrs. Wagener attended Eastfield College and majored in Social Work and Substance Abuse Counseling.

She received her Black Belt in 1985 from the North Dallas School of Tae Kwon Do in Farmers Branch.

Mrs. Wagener has studied Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, Jeet Kune Do, Chinese Kenpo, and Kick Boxing.

She has 40 trophies and 3 medals in Tae Kwon Do competitions in the womens' division from 1982 to 1986.